The Answer is Pastry (and I love you)

I know what you're thinking. And I love you too.

Oh wait. that's not what you were thinking? Well, one can dream. (And I still love you.)
Especially if you took that survey way back when. Your responses were overwhelmingly helpful! So overwhelming that I went comatose for a bit. See blogs are always so hungry, and sometimes a gal is just too tired to cook every night.
Then I woke up.

Yeah, you. Fact. 

Also sometimes I am seized with decision paralysis. Like trying to order food at a counter while staring UP at the menu on the wall (like those trendy chalkboard menus... bah!) sends me into a stuttering stress response. I'm trying to learn to breathe through it. Which is what the last several months have amounted to... several deep and quiet breaths.

If you're gracious enough to still be reading (thank you thank you thank you) here's the plan... 

• NOT attempt to write Mastering the Art of French Cooking... for Mennonites (at this point). 
• Peel away pieces and stick them in the "To Do In My Lifetime" file. 
• Choose one piece and stick it in the "To Do This Year" file. 
• The answer, that one piece I breathed a lot to get to, is... PASTRY! Mennonite baked goods galore shall be the aim. 

So perhaps you were actually thinking... "Reeaaal nice, Katie... You go and promise us cookbooks and then you just waft away like the Carolina breeze. Into the world of beaches, sorghum cakes, and loafers sans socks. " Touche.  Let me break the ice for all our future affairs with cute pictures of children.

photo courtesy of Sarah Boyts Yoder

That last one is Sofie drawing a name from Zeke's (my nephew) fireman's hat. A very dear reader who took the survey was in fact chosen that day. And then promptly elected A Girl and Her Pig by April Bloomfield.

Then I got all caught up in that breathing thing, a niece doing spectacular things like growing fingernails, a sister getting married, another doing amazing artwork (see below) a few lovely east coast excursions, and of course some kitchen work with the creatives at Two Boroughs Larder.

With that... I'm back and I'll see you quite soon!

xoxo, 

Katie

That's my sister getting married. That's me singing Business Time in my head to keep from weeping. 

east coast excursion = baltimore

Sister Sarah's most recent work... Loving the culinary themes.

Where one finds the milk when living with toddlers.